Waiting
by werebunny131
Summary: What happened after the ambush in the second movie? How did Nala and Kiara deal with their king being injured? Simba is not that fast of a healer. My take on a missing scene. First Lion King fanfic.
1. Kiara

Kiara had never seen her father hurt before. Not really. A slight bruise here, a minor cut there. Once he'd even had a thorn stuck in his paw that had to be taken out by a friendly mouse. Trifling.

This was not.

He was limping. He was panting. He was bleeding. She sent Zazu for help and ran to him. She tried to find out what happened, but only got two words.

"Kovu...Ambush..."

He collapsed. People do that when their injuries are severe enough, she heard. She had just never seen it happen before.

And for it to happen to her father...

He wasn't breathing easily. They had to get him home, but he was so big and she was so small...Pumbaa was used to carrying lions around when he played with the cubs. He scooped Simba up in his tusks, but parts still hung limp. There was no helping it. He would have to be half carried, half dragged to Pride Rock. It hurt her heart to see him weak like that.

He was always so strong. When he hunted, he could take down prey with ease, though never as fast as her mother. He was always there with a roar if any of the pride was threatened. Threatening. Serious. Playful, he changed effortlessly. But he was always a safe and strong part of her home.

Her home didn't seem very safe right then. Lionesses came to help Pumbaa with her father, and none of their expressions showed anything but worry.

"Kiara. What happened?" They asked her. She just shook her head. No. She couldn't tell them what he had said. Kovu...It couldn't be the whole story.

She would wait.

~*~

Hey! Lion King fanfic! Who would've thunk it? This is just something that bugs me every time I watch the Lion King II. Simba gets hurt, he collapses. Then the next time we see him, he's waking up, somehow feeling well enough to banish Kovu in a rather dramatic fashion. Makes. No. Sense. This will just be what I think went on while Kovu was off gettin' scars and annoying his family. Obviously, I don't own the Lion King, or something like this would be _in the movie._


	2. Nala

Nala had stayed behind at Pride Rock. She hadn't been happy about it, but she was the queen. She had a responsibility to her pride. Besides, Zazu always exaggerated, she tried to tell herself. Simba was probably fine...

Then she saw him.

He was NOT fine.

"Simba!" She dashed down to meet the lionesses supporting her mate. He wasn't moving. He was hurt as well. Not the occasional cut or scratch a lion might pick up from a prey's lucky hit. Wounds. Injuries. She could make out the teeth and claw marks. These were attack wounds. What had happened?

No. It did not matter how. Only that it did, and he was hurt. Knowing why would not heal him.

But she knew someone who could.

"Zazu! Find Rafiki! Tell him we need help. Tell him..." She looked back at her king. He was gasping shakily. "Tell him to bring any medicine he has." She finished quietly. Zazu flew off faster than she had ever seen him.

"Let's get him into the den," She told her lionesses.

Hold on Simba...There isn't a wound inflicted that Rafiki couldn't heal. But until Rafiki actually got there, all she could do was keep him comfortable.

By her husband's side, she would wait.

~*~

A little bit of Nala, but don't worry, she'll have more. This fanfic will go until the 'Exile' song starts playing. More to come! =^-^=


	3. Kiara again

Kiara didn't know what to do. Rafiki had been in there for seasons it seemed. She knew nothing of medicine, and there was nothing else useful she could do.

She took to pacing in front of the mouth of the den.

The other lionesses were gathered around the base of Pride Rock, going about their everyday chores. Bathing, teaching the cubs, finishing the meat from the previous hunt. But they all seemed...slower. All the energy of the pride had been drained away by worry, and fear. There was no doubt that Simba was a much loved king. Every so often Kiara would notice one of them look up at the den. But then they would see her still pacing, and look down again, worry etched back into their faces.

So she was doing something useful after all. She was the prides link to their king. If anything happened, she would know, and they would see.

"Grandfather..." She murmured. "Please please please. Don't let him join you yet." Her father had always told her of his father and how his presence was still with the pride, guarding and guiding it. She didn't know exactly what had happened to him. Only that her mother said it was a story for her father to tell and her dad had a hard time telling it. He had told parts, and she had put them together, but the story as a whole hadn't come out yet. She knew he had died when her dad was very young. Still a cub even. Well, she wasn't a cub, but she wasn't ready for her father to leave just yet.

Is anyone ever really ready for something like that?

A roar came from the den. A lion's roar.

Not lioness. LION.

She smiled slightly. "Dads up," She whispered. "Thank you."

Her mother had told everybody, including her daughter, to stay out unless called so no one would get in Rafiki's way. A roar did not mean she was called. But it was ok. Her dad would make it. She knew he would.

She could wait.

~*~

Woo, Kiara. With all the mental baggage that comes with losing a family member (I'm guessing, thankfully) I can't see Simba being able to tell the whole story in one go. I also can't see Nala telling it for him. So I think that Kiara doesn't really know what happened in that gorge. If she had, I don't think she would have yelled "You will never be Mufasa" to her _father_. Just can't see it happening. This is the chunk, more to come. =^-^=


	4. Nala again

Nala had never been happier to hear Simba's roar before, and that included the day he had come home to take his throne back.

"I said it would sting!" Rafiki grinned with all his teeth. Yes, he had said that the paste he put on Simba's leg wound would sting, but he had also said 'a bit'. While Nala shared his joy at Simba's wake up, he was forgetting that Simba had collapsed after a battle, and would most likely still have a fighting mindset.

She was right. Simba was on his feet, ready to attack; his eyes, while open, were not fully seeing where he was.

"Simba! Simba calm down, you're safe, you're home." She spoke quickly, but calmly; trying to get him to see **her**, not her general direction.

Rafiki had a different approach.

He picked up his stick and gave Simba a good sharp crack on the head.

Simba's eyes focused immediately. Nala remembered something he had said before.

_"I finally got some sense knocked into me, and I've got the bump to prove it."_

Well, that explained much.

"OW! What...?" Simba looked around, confusion written on his face. Nala went up to her mate and rubbed her head under his chin.

"It's ok," She murmured. "You're home. Kiara, Timon, and Pumbaa found you and brought you back. You're safe." She could feel his body slowly losing its initial strength and going limp. "Lie down. You're still hurt. You have to rest." He didn't argue with her. He just lay down, eyes sliding half-shut. She lay down next to him. Rafiki started fiddling with his stick and fruit and powders.

"Simba, what happened?'

"Was...telling Kovu," He murmured, half-asleep already. "Story 'bout Scar. Real story...Not lies...Ambush came. Tried to fight them off but...too many...Kovu brought them...Trap..."

She stiffened. A trap? By Kovu?! But... He...He had saved...A trap. A plot. A plot to get to Simba. That's all it had ever been.

It scared her to realize just how very close that plot had come to succeeding.

There was nothing she could do about that now though. Who knew where Kovu was? She couldn't very well go rushing off to find him and leave the pride to guard a wounded Simba without her. She wouldn't leave her mate for that, not ever. Besides, when he was healed, doubtless he would go after Kovu himself.

She could wait.

~*~

I loved that part in the first movie. Simba's being all conflicted and Rafiki ends that with one good smack! Not the greatest chapter, but he's awake now! =^-^=


	5. Kiara once more

Kiara peeked into the den just in time to watch her father get walloped in the head by Rafiki. She was glad to have a reason to giggle after being worried for so long. Then she saw her father lie down again and almost fall asleep in seconds and the worry returned. She had hoped he would wake up and everything would be normal again. At least she hoped he would get some **sleep** instead of just being unconscious.

And then she heard what had happened.

She quickly returned to pacing in front of the den.

Kovu? Be the bait in a trap? No. Never. He wasn't like that!

Then how did her father get attacked?

It had to have been an accident. A coincidence. They were just at the wrong place at the wrong time.

That had to be it...Kovu would never...But then where was he? If he hadn't come back with her father, then...

She broke away from that train of thought. No. Look on the bright side. Dad is gonna be alright. He woke up for a bit, and Rafiki is working on him. He'll be fine.

It'll all be fine.

Kovu...

"Kiara." She turned, Nala stood at the mouth of the den. "You can come in now."

Kiara turned toward the other lionesses and smiled. They saw. She turned back to her mother. "Is he...?"

"He's asleep, Rafiki is just finishing up."

"Ok." She took a deep breath. "Mother, he's going to be okay...right?"

Nala's smile faded slightly. "Yes. He'll recover. But...he'll need time to rest. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if Zira will give us that."

She nodded. Nala tilted her head toward the den. "Go on. You know he'll want to see you when he wakes up."

Kiara padded into the cave. In the middle was one sleeping lion, being tended to by a baboon. Rafiki looked up when he heard her come in. He smiled.

"He'll be glad to see you when he wakes."

She smiled back at him. "That's what my mother said."

He gathered his supplies and left her alone with her father.

She wasn't used to seeing her father hurt; but she would look at him hurt all day just so long as he was there to look at. But what should she do? Talk to him? Would he even hear her?

What should she do?

_"Daddy?" _

_"Hmm...What's the matter? You okay?" _

_"I...uh...I had a bad dream..." _

_"Oh. Well…Come're. There's plenty of room."_

_"Really?" _

_"Sure. That always helped me sleep." _

_"All right!" _

She curled up next to her sleeping parent, as close as she could without touching his injuries. She could be there. That's what she could do.

_"Hey...Dad?" _

_"...Hhmm?"_

_"I dreamt that…Well, you…You'll still be here...right?"_

_"Kiara, I promise, I'll be right here when you wake up."_

"I'll be right here Dad. Wake up soon."

No matter how long, she would wait.

~*~

This is kinda from Lion King 1 ½ when Simba had a nightmare. There's no better cure then just **being** there.

Oh, and for all the people saying that these chapters are freakishly short, I know. This is a story I wrote a while back. It is/was my very first Lion King fanfiction. It was my first fanfiction period! So, yeah, it's gonna be a little short. But I'm a sentimental kind of person; I can't fiddle with it other than the big stuff like spelling and grammar. Also, trying to fit in everything I wanted to, along with having the cannon beginning, and ending, is hard for a first time writer. Don't worry, I read your reviews for the criticisms as well as the praise; and any other stories I write will have bigger chapters and anything else I do that you all think I should do better. It's a process.

Well! This little note has gotten longer than usual, but I just wanted you all to know the reasoning for my writing. Thanks for the reviews! More to come!

=^-^=


	6. Nala once more

Nala finished telling the lionesses Simba's condition, along with what had led him there. Naturally they were furious. They weren't the only ones. Word spread across the kingdom as fast as any wildfire. Animals from all around had heard what had happened and were traveling to Pride Rock to see what had become of their king. When they heard how Simba was, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

When they heard how his life had been put in danger, they roared.

The lionesses unsheathed their claws. Birds sharpened their beaks. The elephants stomped the ground and tossed their trunks. All manner of hoofed animals threatened a trampling.

She was sorely tempted to send them out to find Kovu. But no. The Outsiders would come under their own power. Why turn away the added defense?

"Nala…" She turned back toward the den.

"Simba! You should be resting."

He shook his head the tiniest bit. "I could hear the crowd from inside. I figured I should come out and reassure them."

She wasn't fooled. She could see that he was leaning slightly on Kiara. But he was right. The kingdom would do well to see him up. As long as he lay back down shortly afterward.

He stood, not at the peak of Pride Rock, but more toward the base. He was supported by Kiara on one side, Nala on the other. He didn't say anything, just smiled slightly. It was enough to send a sigh of relief through the ranks of animals.

The king is up. The king is okay. He'll get better.

Simba received the look from both his wife and his daughter and lay down where he stood. He was almost asleep as soon as his head touched the ground. Nala and Kiara exchanged worried faces.

The whispers from the crowd intensified.

He still looks bad. Never seen anyone that hurt. Not any lion that is. Did you hear what happened? Some kind of ambush. Plot. Trap. Kovu. Kovu, Kovu, Kovu…

Kiara was listening, shifting nervously. Nala noticed. She couldn't still have feelings for Kovu could she? She saw him for what he truly was…right? Nala knew her daughter had heard her father tell what happened. When the time came to fight the Outsiders, Kiara would not falter, would she? Though knowing Simba, he would probably ban her from any battle.

"Daddy?" Kiara was right. He needed to get up, go back inside, and rest while they had the chance.

"Daddy, it **can't** be true." What? After what had happened, Kiara would still believe in Kovu? No. This was too much. Kovu had only been a pawn in a much larger game Zira was playing. And even Zira had only ever been a tool of Scar. Even dead, the lion kept pulling the strings. Well, should Nala get the chance, she would end the game. It had taken far too much from people. Simba in particular. She would protect her mate and daughter as best as she possibly could. The Outsiders would come. Come to try and take their home in the name of Scar. Through Kovu. She would do anything to stop this. She just had to be patient. She just had to wait.

"Look, it's Kovu."

"Kovu…"

"It's **Kovu**."

The waiting was over.

~*~

Mess with the lion, and you get the lioness. I wasn't completely sure how to get Simba from resting inside Pride Rock, to outside sleeping. I think it was a bit rushed but…*shrug* I hope you enjoyed! There's only one bit left! =^-^=


	7. Exile

Kovu was no longer a Pridelander. Not even in the half-sense he had been ever since he had saved Kiara. He was not accepted. And it was not simply the word of the king. He had given the sentence.

The kingdom itself carried it out.

**Deception  
Disgrace  
Evil as plain as the scar on his face**

_I never wanted it…_

**Deception** (An outrage!)  
**Disgrace ** (For shame!)  
**He asked for trouble the moment he came**

_No…that's just what I didn't want!__  
_  
**Deception** (An outrage!)  
(He can't change his stripes)  
**Disgrace ** (For shame!)  
(You know these Outsider types)  
**He asked for trouble the moment he came**  
(See you later, agitator!)  
**Deception** (An outrage!)  
(Just leave us alone!)  
**Disgrace** (For shame!)  
(Traitor, go back with your own!)  
**He asked for trouble the moment he came  
**(See you later, agitator!)

_Please…Give me another chance!_

**Born in grief  
Raised in hate  
Helpless to defy his fate  
Let him run  
Let him live  
But do not forget what we cannot forgive  
**

_Never…_

**And he is not one of us  
He has never been one of us  
He is not part of us  
Not our kind  
**

_I tried…_

**Someone once lied to us  
Now we're not so blind  
For we knew he would do what he's done  
And we know that he'll never be one of us**

_Scar…always following…always watching…A shadow on my life I can never escape._**  
**  
**He is not one of us  
**  
**Deception**

Disgrace

Deception

_I'm sorry…_****

Disgrace

_I'm so sorry…_****

Deception

_No…_

._-_-_-_.

Every time I work on this fanfic, the Exile song gets stuck in my head. So now it's in all of your heads too! Ha! =^-^= The last bit is next. It is very short, but that's because it's more of an epilogue.


	8. End

Kiara threw herself to the ground and sobbed. It wasn't fair! There was no way Kovu had been a part of that trap! He had been protesting his innocence the whole time! Why hadn't her father listened? Didn't he think that Kovu might have been telling the truth? What had happened to Kovu to delay him so long from coming back? Where had that scar come from? Where was Kovu going to go now? What was he going to do? What was **she** going to do?

And where was that light coming from?

There! An opening! A way past the guards she would undoubtedly be given should she leave. She had a way out after all. She could go. Go and find Kovu.

But…

She glanced back. Her father, despite what he'd done…he was still injured. Her family. Her people. The Outsiders would come. She should stay…She should help…She should…wait…

Again…

She faced the light. Kovu. That was all that mattered right now.

"Hold on, Kovu."

Waiting was over.

.-_-_-_-.

This marks the end of Waiting, It was great fun doing this, as it was my first multi-chaptered story that I've finished so far. Also, the first Lion King fanfiction, **ever**! Of course now I'm, doing Lion King fics all over the place, but this was the first. Thank you **thank you **thankyouthankyouthankyou for reading my work. Getting those e-mails about a favorite or an alert or a review…for a first time writer, there's nothing better. I am so happy about the people who took the time to tell me what they thought about this; even if it was just to say: "This is too short!" Seriously, you guys rock.

Once again, thank you all so so much. More to come, thought not on this story. I'm not done with this movie just yet!


End file.
